09 Bento Miso

It is very accessible with the Queen St streetcar one block north and the King St streetcar two blocks south. Parking, however, can be tricky. As far as I can tell there is only one nearby parking and I’m pretty sure it gets full very fast. On the day of my visit, I was fortunate enough to score the last spot available…phew!

As a first time visitor (who also forgot the exact address…), I actually had a tricky time trying to find the building. Even though I was on foot, I wasn’t able to find any signage regarding Bento Miso. It was only after re-googling the address and taking a small walk of faith down a long corridor did I eventually find it. However, once you find it, you won’t forget it because it is a cool entrance (it reminds me a secret nightclub alleyway entrance…)

Bento Miso occupies the entire ground floor of a brick and beam building.

The reception desk is against the wall, opposite the front entrance. Flanking both sides of the desk is the kitchen space and the large, open communal work area.

The work area has three main sections. Most obvious is the large array of red work tables and black office chairs. This is a nice set up with Herman Millar Sayl chairs, BluDot tables and ceiling drop-down Quirky Pivot Power powerbars. Large felt pads are also provided as considerate touch to protect your laptop. Internet speed was stable at around 22 MB/s down and 7 MB/s up

The other sections are the lounge area and presentation area. The lounge area is a cozy corner with sofa seating and an ottoman. There is also a wall-mounted blackboard for idea scribblin’ and a table with bench seating.

The presentation area consists of a large pull down screen (10′ – 12′ diagonal), ceiling mounted projector, podium and seating for about 20-30 people. It is an open concept so it is very flexible in terms of viewing/seating options.

Surrounding the work area are additional rooms. The largest of which is the room for permanent desk members. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to look inside, I would say it roughly the same size, maybe a bit smaller than the communal work area. Next up are the two boardrooms – the largest boardroom being available for rent. Finally, there are two rooms for admin.

Bento Miso was started by a husband and wife team who were working from home and become tired of the isolation. As a result they decided to build not just a coworking space but also a community of like minded individuals. There is a inclusivity policy and a code of conduct to promote a friendly and polite work environment.

From my one visit – I can easily attest to the nice atmosphere and friendly people. People were very supportive of Lift Top and I given excellent advice and tips regarding my upcoming kickstarter campaign (thanks Andrew!)

Bento Miso definitely has a lot going for it with its comfortable work environment and friendly atmosphere!